Classic Cinemas is the largest Illinois based movie theatre chain. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, it operates 16 locations with 137 screens in Illinois and Wisconsin (as of May 2022) under Tivoli Enterprises ownership. Its first theatre and company namesake is the restored Tivoli, which has over 1000 seats in the original auditorium, in Downers Grove, Illinois. A second auditorium, with 33 seats, was completed in 2021.
Notable features
Classic Cinemas is known for its extensive and historically sensitive renovations of historic theatres some of which include painstaking recreations of plasterwork, glass, and marquees. Classic Cinemas founders Willis and Shirley Johnson are members of a number of preservation societies and were awarded the Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for “Stewardship” in 2011.[1]
During a period in the 1980s when some major films were released with 70mm prints for select theatres, Classic Cinemas (then under the Tivoli Enterprises name) featured these wide-gauge prints at their flagship Tivoli Theatre for bargain prices once they had ended their first-run engagements. This might be the only example of a "sub run" theatre showing films in that format.
Classic Cinemas finished its technology overhaul in 2012 installing Christie CP4230 projectors, GDC SX2000AR servers, and Datasat AP-20 audio processors. Now all screens have 4K, High Frame Rate (HFR), personal captioning devices, descriptive narration, and hearing impaired systems. They are also installing micro-perforated screens for the ultimate picture quality. All theatres and auditoriums are equipped 7.1 sound. The chain has started to install dts:X object-based sound at several locations
Classic Cinemas has installed luxury power recliners in all of Beloit, Cinema 12, Charlestowne, Fox Lake, La Grange, North Riverside Luxury 6, Cinema 7, Paramount, Meadowview and York auditoriums. They also have added recliners to some of the Elk Grove, Kendall 11, Lindo, Tivoli, and Woodstock screens.
Classic Cinemas, based in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a family-owned company operated by Willis, Shirley and Chris Johnson. Established in 1978, Classic Cinemas operates 16 theatres with 137 screens in 15 communities in the northern Illinois and Wisconsin area. As of September 23, 2016, Classic Cinemas opened up Cinema 7 in Sandwich, Illinois.[2]
